The nature of a nail technician's job requires them to work long hours in an unnatural bent over position. Nail technicians are prone to repetitive use injuries due to improper body posture and improper alignment of their head in relation to their shoulders, and extra strain on their wrist, hand, fingers, neck, and back. The strain is created during a nail service when the patron, using their arm and hand, applies pressure downward on the nail technician or twists their hand requiring the nail technician to use force to hold in the hand in correct position. Strain exists when manipulating the patron's stiff fingers and struggling to keep the patron hand in one central location.
The nail technician is required to manipulate the fingers and hands to perform the service. During this time the patron's arm may become fatigued causing them to rest it on the table. The nail technician is unable to work properly with the forearm rested on the nail table. When the nail technician has to push or pull the hand into the proper position, they become very fatigued. When the nail technician has to lift the hand and arm from the nail table, to maintain proper height of the nails, they become very fatigued. When the patron's arm is not at a proper height where the wrist can bend downward, and the fingers can hang in a neutral position, it causes the nail technician to lean too far forward to see the nails to perform their work. The nail technician requires a patron's fingers to remain relaxed.
However, quite the contrary occurs during a nail service, when a patron does not have the proper support of the arm, wrist, and hand the following problems occur. 1) The patron attempts to hold their hand and fingers in a fixed position causing the fingers to be rigid and stiff and unable to relax the fingers. 2) The patron pulls their hand backward out of ideal view or pushes their hand forward out of the ideal position for the nail technician causing the nail technician to bend their neck at an uncomfortable angle. 3) The constant reminders to the patron from the nail technician to maintain proper positioning elongate the nail service causing the nail technician to take more time to perform the service.
It is important for the longevity of a nail technician's career they remain in an upright position with their head over their shoulders. It is important not to have the extra weight of a patron's hand and arm causing the wrist and arm of the nail technician to become fatigued. When a nail technician has to lean too far forward, causing the head to become misaligned from the shoulders, or support the extra weight and pressure of a patron's arm and hand, it may cause pain and strain in the back and neck and repetitive use injuries. These injuries include Tendinosis, the inflammation of the tendon and results from micro-tears that happen when the musculotendinous unit is acutely overloaded with a tensile force that is too heavy and/or too sudden.
Tendinosis, as defined by the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the National Institute of Health, is a degeneration of the tendon's collagen in response to chronic overuse; when overuse is continued without giving the ten-don time to heal and rest, such as with repetitive strain injury, tendinosis is the results. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is compression of nerves and vessels during their passage through the cervicothoracic-cobrachial region. Neck and shoulder symptoms are reported by subjects to the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the National Institute of Health in certain occupations and are related to repetitive movements, and certain working positions, particularly in occupations requiring the use of the arms in elevation (barbers, switchboard operators, assembly lines, etc.), with the head or shoulders flexed anteriorly.
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, as defined by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, is a condition that involves pressure or stretching of the ulnar nerve (also known as the “funny bone” nerve), which can cause numbness or tingling in the ring and small fingers, pain in the forearm, and/or weakness in the hands. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, is a condition that causes numbness, tingling and other symptoms in the hand and arm. Carpal tunnel syndrome, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is caused by a compressed nerve in the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist. The anatomy of your wrist, health problems and possibly repetitive hand motions can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. Tennis Elbow, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a painful condition that occurs when tendons in your elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.
People have been trying to solve the proper hand positioning dilemma of patrons while receiving a nail service for a very long time. The devices currently employed to support the forearm, wrist, and hand of a patron while receiving a nail service have one or more of the following ergonomic flaws. 1) The support device does not provide the proper angle to prevent the patron from applying downward pressure on the wrist 2) The support device does not have the proper height to allow the nail technician to maintain proper body alignment or prevent the patron from stiffening their fingers.
3) The support device does not have the proper height from the table top for the nail technician to work on the fingers and hand. 4) The support device does not provide clearance from the device for the nail technicians hand to hold the patron's fingers comfortably. No clearance causes the nail technicians hand to come into contact with the device while trying to work. 5) The support device is not made of a durable material. 6) The support device is not made of a material that can be sanitized.
7) The device is not wide enough to allow the elbow of the patron to rest comfortably on the table cushion and lay the forearm of each arm on a device. The device has to be moved several times during a service. 8) The support devices do not prevent the patron from pulling their hand backward, pushing their hand forward, lowering, raising or twisting their hand. 9) The support devices do not provide comfort for the patron. The following prior art comprises one or more of the previously stated deficiencies.
1) Stopper, U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,647 B1 issued on Aug. 21, 2001, reveals a structure for the wrist to rest. 2) Becker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,331 issued on Apr. 10, 1990, demonstrates an apparatus to work on the nails. 3) Caldwell, U.S. Pat. No. 9,192,219 issued on Nov. 24, 2015, provides a support device for the wrist. 4) Sexton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,795 issued on Feb. 9, 1993, shows a stand for the patron elbow and palm. 5) Cantu and Mullarkey, U.S. Pat. No. D734,545 S issued on Jul. 14, 2015, provides an ornamental design for hand support. 6) Lundeen, U.S. Pat. No. 20110133042 A1 issued on Jun. 9, 2011, reveals an armrest for manicures. 7) Jimenez and Hodges, U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,103 A issued on Dec. 8, 1992, maintains a stand to support a patrons hand in suspension. 8) Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,056 issued on Jul. 5, 1994, Claims a means for supporting hands wrists and forearms of manicurist and patron. 9) Baker and Plant, U.S. Pat. No. D734,546 S issued on Jun. 14, 2015, demonstrates the ornamental design for a hands support.